Are you supposed to waive your FERPA rights or not?

I’m trying to make a parchment account but have no idea if I’m supposed to waive my FERPA rights or not… please answer ASAP

The school guidance department here says yes. That way, teachers will feel free to write an honest recommendation. Others may have different opinions.

Yes. Colleges prefer if you were to waive your FERPA rights.

Yes, it was required at my high school.

Yes.

Well, legally you’re not REQUIRED to waive them – since they are your rights. But it’s understandable that rec letter writers prefer this so they can be candid. Colleges want candid rec letters so they encourage it, too.

I suppose if you don’t waive them, your rec letter writers are 100% to decline writing a rec letter for you too. In reality, most rec letter writers don’t care.

From some of my college tours recently, I asked this question and a couple of others. One college straight up said that if the student doesn’t waive their right, they skip or drop the entire letter of recommendation. That is not something you want to do since it shows you in light of others’ perspective. Your call, but I (and the overwhelming majority of CC users) would recommend you waive your right.